Director, National Field Underwriting

The Opportunity: Director, National Field Underwriting at Equitable

At Equitable, we believe great things happen when we work together. We’re a Canadian mutual company driven by purpose - putting people first and helping Canadians protect today and prepare for tomorrow. If you’re passionate about making a difference and growing your career in an inclusive and collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you. Our culture is built on care, passion and curiosity. We put people above all else, strive to be our best and welcome new ideas to deliver positive outcomes.

The Director, National Field Underwriting is a senior underwriting expert who bridges underwriting, distribution, and client engagement. This role delivers advanced medical and financial underwriting support directly in the field to elevate client experiences and drive UHNW growth.

Acting as a trusted advisor, the Director partners with advisors, wholesalers, and clients to provide pre‑sale underwriting guidance, including preliminary opinions on complex insurance structures and risks. They operate independently while consulting with the Underwriting VP on strategic or high‑impact matters. This role identifies risks and opportunities within the UHNW segment, leveraging deep technical expertise and a strong understanding of professional planning frameworks to support sophisticated client strategies.

Join one of the region’s top employers and be part of something that truly makes a difference.

Work Arrangements

You will work from your home office 100% of the time. You may be required to be in-person at our office in Waterloo, ON or another assigned location within the Waterloo Region, on an as needed basis. Sales related roles may be required to travel based on the assignment.

What you’ll do:

• Manage pre-sale underwriting activities, such as preliminary opinions on complex insurance structures
• Establish and maintain strong level of partnership and collaboration with Distribution partners, including Wholesalers and RVPs
• Assess and classify risks in accordance with Equitable's philosophy and standards
• Proactively and reactively support advisors and clients, especially with large life insurance deals $5M-200M
• Improve sales through strong advisor relationships and excellent on-the-ground pricing practices
• Engage directly with clients to provide tailored preliminary opinions
• Manage advisor expectations by identifying undesirable risks and proposing alternative solutions
• Comply with consumer laws and regulations regarding risk classification, privacy, and disclosure
• Identify and propose solutions to improve processes and customer experience

What you’ll bring:

• 15+ years Underwriting experience
• Exceptional background and understanding of UHNW client, advisor, professional advice framework
• Deeply understands the market, has awareness of trends and emerging risks, and brings forward recommendations, helping to maintain profitable mortality & morbidity experience
• Expert knowledge/experience in all aspects of risk assessment: medical, non-medical, foreign travel, financial underwriting principals
• Expert knowledge of retention management
• Expert knowledge of the reinsurance marketplace
• Meets field expectations for competitive underwriting decisions
• Drives outcomes through a client-first mindset
• In the process of obtaining or holding FALU, FLMI, and ACS certifications.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and consult regularly with Underwriting VP on pertinent issues
• Proven pricing experience with a sales and relationship mindset
• In-depth understanding of insurance products, financial and medical guidelines, as well as non-medical risks impacting mortality
• Experience with financial reporting and training on anti-money laundering practices

Knowledge/Problem Solving

• Takes a leadership role in identifying areas of challenge and brings forward well thought out recommendations for solutions
• Collaborative to forge partnerships that drive innovative client solutions
• Has an entrepreneurial spirit and possess the communication skills and confidence to engage with senior level clients and colleagues
• Self-sufficient and resourceful professional who demonstrates flexibility and efficient time management skills
• Strong presentation and influencing skills with the ability to represent our underwriting expertise and build trusted relationships
• Mentor, develop, and inspire less experienced underwriters, ensuring continuity of expertise and readiness of future talent

What’s in it for you:

• Career Growth: Regular learning sessions and development opportunities
• Total Rewards: Incentive pay, annual salary reviews, employer-paid benefits and pension matching
• Time Away: Competitive vacation plus one paid volunteer day each year
• Flexibility: Healthy work-life balance with employee wellness always top of mind, complemented by a “dress for your day” approach

At Equitable, we’re committed to fair pay and an inclusive, accessible hiring experience. If you need accommodations or alternative formats at any stage, just reach out to us at careers@equitable.ca. We’re happy to help.

Your base pay will be based on your skills, qualifications, experience and education. In addition to your salary, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual incentive award tied to business performance, plus a wide range of competitive benefits.

If you’re selected to move forward, our Talent Acquisition team will walk you through all the details of our total rewards program, so you know exactly what’s included.

Key skills/competency

• Underwriting
• UHNW
• Risk Assessment
• Financial Underwriting
• Reinsurance
• Distribution Partnerships
• Client Engagement
• Sales Support
• Process Improvement
• Mentorship